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  • Marriage is (literally) good for the heart: study

    PARIS: 

    Even if marriage is sometimes more a bed of nails than roses, living into old age with a partner may help ward off heart disease and stroke, researchers said Tuesday.

    A sweeping survey of research conducted over the last two decades covering more than two million people aged 42 to 77 found that being hitched significantly reduced the risk of both maladies, they reported in the medical journal Heart.

    The study examined ethnically varied populations in Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia, adding weight to the results.

    Heart patients, if married, have higher survival rates: study

    Compared to people living in spousal union, the divorced, widowed or never married were 42 per cent more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and 16 per cent more likely to have coronary heart disease, the study found.

    The risk of dying was likewise elevated for the non-married, by 42 per cent from coronary heart disease and by 55 per cent from stroke.

    The results were nearly the same for men and women, except for stroke, to which men were more susceptible.

    “These findings may suggest that marital status should be considered in the risk assessment for cardiovascular disease,” concluded a team led by Chun Wai Wong, a researcher at Royal Stoke Hospital’s department of cardiology, in Stoke-on-Trent in Britain.

    Four-fifths of all cardiovascular disease can be attributed to a proven set of “risk factors”: advanced age, being a man, high-blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, and diabetes.

    Marriage, in other words, could be an important share of the missing 20 per cent.

    More precisely, living together – with or without a wedding band – is probably the operative factor, if indeed conjugal status has any impact at all.

    But most of the 34 studies reviewed by Wong and colleagues did not identify couples out of wedlock or same-sex unions, so it was not possible to know whether, statistically, such arrangements were the equivalent of being wed.

    Marriage is healthy for the heart: Study

    Because the study was observational rather than based on a controlled experiment – something scientists can do with mice but not humans – no clear conclusions could be drawn as to cause-and-effect.

    That leaves open the question of why marriages may be “protective”.

    “There are various theories,” the researchers said in a statement.

    Having someone around to take care of one’s health problems and keep track of one’s meds is probably a plus, as are two incomes or pensions instead of one.

    More intangibly, not living alone is thought to be good for morale, and for neural stimulation. People living in couples, earlier research has shown, also have lower rates of dementia.

    Editor’s note: This story was culled from The Express Tribune International

  • If we do not innovate, we will stagnate, PM Modi tells Indians

    The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today interacted with young innovators and Start-Up entrepreneurs from across the country, through video bridge. This is the fourth interaction by the Prime Minister through video bridge series with various beneficiaries of Government schemes.

    Delighted at India’s youngsters becoming job creators, Prime Minister said that the Government is committed towards harnessing the demographic dividend. The Prime Minister further said that adequate capital, courage and connecting with people are required for excelling in the start- up sector.

    Prime Minister said that things have changed from the time where start-ups meant only digital and technology innovation. He said that now there are start-up entrepreneurs in many fields. Start-Ups are filed in 28 States, 6 Union Territories and 419 districts. Out of these, 44% of start-ups registered are from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities as Start-Up India is focussing on encouraging local innovations from their areas. In addition, 45% of the start-up are set up by women.

    Shri Narendra Modi also explained how filing patents and trademarks have become easy under the government. Government has brought down the number of forms needed to apply for trademark from seventy-four to eight, resulting in three-fold increase in Trade Marks registration in three years. Number of patents registered has also seen a three-fold increase compared to the previous government.

    During the interaction with young entrepreneurs, Prime Minister said that the government has created Rs.10000 Crore ‘Fund of Funds’ to ensure that young entrepreneurs may not face shortage of funds for their start-ups and to facilitate youngsters to innovate. Through the ‘Fund of Funds’, Rs.1285 Crore funding has been committed, leveraging a total of Rs.6980 Crore in venture funds so far.

    Explaining the steps taken by the government to make India’s start-up ecosystem robust, Prime Minister said that the Government-e– Market Place (GEM) has been linked to Start-Up India portal so that start-ups can sell their products to government. Start-Ups have been given income tax exemption for three years. Six labour laws and three environmental laws have been changed so that young entrepreneurs need to provide only self-certification. Government has also started a one-stop digital platform called Start-Up India Hub where all information regarding start-ups and its ecosystem is available for entrepreneurs.

    Interacting with the participants, Narendra Modi said that in order to foster innovation and competition amongst youngsters, Government has started various competitions like Atal New India Challenge, Smart India Hackathon and Agriculture Grand Challenge. Prime Minister also mentioned his discussion with Prime Minister of Singapore, on holding a Smart India Hackathon like challenge between innovators from Singapore and India.

    Prime Minister also reiterated the Governments’ commitment in encouraging innovation in India. Eight Research Parks and 2500 Atal Tinkering Labs are being established all over the country to encourage youngsters to take up research and innovation.

    Addressing the innovators, Narendra Modi invited youngsters to ideate on how to transform agricultural sector. He said that ‘Design in India’ is essential along with ‘Make in India’. Prime Minister also encouraged youngsters to continue innovating and gave the mantra of ‘Innovate or Stagnate’.

    Interacting with the Prime Minister, young innovators explained how the various government schemes under Start-Up India initiative have helped set up the new start-ups. Entrepreneurs and innovators also explained their innovations to Prime Minister ranging from agricultural innovations to Block chain technology. Schoolchildren from various Atal Tinkering Labs shared their innovations with the Prime Minister. Prime complemented the schoolchildren for their scientific skills and encouraged them to come up with more such inventions.

    Prime Minister gave a clarion call to nation to make ‘Innovate India’, a mass movement. He encouraged the citizens to share their ideas and innovations through the hashtag #InnovateIndia.

  • Makarfi joins PDP’s presidential race

    Senator Ahmed Makarfi, a former Governor of Kaduna State and former Caretaker Committee Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), has formally joined those jostling for the party’s 2019 presidential ticket.

    Former Cross River State governor Donald had last week also declared his intention to run for the 2019 presidential ticket on the same party platform.

    Also former Vice President Atiku Abubakar who recently defected from ruling All progressives Congress (APC) back to his original PDP, is currently on nationwide consultation to galvanise support for the party’s presidential ticket.

    Makarfi disclosed his intention in Kaduna on Sunday.

    He explained that he had consulted widely and arrived at the conclusion that the time had come for him to contest for the exalted position.

    He said unveiled his programme if elected in 2019.

    “Restructuring the country, tackling insecurity, fighting corruption with due process and rule of law, improving the economy, reuniting the nation are top among what my administration will do for the country,’’ he said.

    Makarfi said the crisis rocking the ruling APC was an advantage for his party to emerge victorious in the election.

    Makarfi, however, commended president Buhari’s administration’s fight against insurgency. (NAN)

  • Nigeria to shut borders over rice smuggling

    The Nigerian Government says it will shut the land border between it and a neigbouring country in a few days time to avoid smuggling of foreign rice into the country.

    Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the disclosure in Abuja on Monday while speaking with youths in a leadership clinic under the auspices of Guardians of the Nation International (GOTNI).

    Ogbeh who did not mention the particular country and border, said that shutting the borders had become necessary to encourage local production and sustain the economy of the country.

    The minister said that a neighbouring country was bent on destroying the economy of the country and discouraging local production of rice, hence the need to shut down the border.

    “Our other problem is smuggling.  As we speak, a neighbor of ours is importing more rice than China is importing.?“They do not eat parboiled rice, they eat white rice, they use their ports to try and damage our economy.?“I am telling you now because in a few days, you will hear the border has been shut, we are going to shut it to protect you, us and protect our economy.

    “You will start seeing all sorts of negative things on the internet.?“Let me tell you why we need to shut the border, I grow rice, I was the first Nigerian to mill rice free of stones, if you plant rice in certain parcels of land, some poisonous materials gets into the rice.

    “There are three kinds of water in their natural state; there is fresh water from the river, salt water from the sea, blackish water.

    “If you go to the Delta in many countries, in South East Asia where they grow the rice, if you plant rice in the same place like four to six years continuously, the quantum of arsenic begins to increase and arsenic causes cancer and that is what they are dumping for us.

    “Some people say they prefer Thai rice because they are very sophisticated, welcome to poison,’’ Ogbeh said.

    He said that the Federal Government in two years reduced rice importation by 95 per cent and increased the number of rice farmers from five million to 30 million.

    The minister said that states like Anambra, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa were doing well in rice production.

    “We just have to handwork you to prosperity otherwise, this country will not grow. My wish for you is to have a better time that we had,’’ Ogbeh said.

    The President of GOTNI, Dr Linus Okorie, commended the minister for sharing prosperity experiences with the youth.

    Okorie noted that the leadership clinic was organised by GOTNI to expose young people to practical leadership principle for life success.

    According to him, GOTNI is committed to changing the narratives of poor leadership in Nigeria by consciously developing the capacities of generational leaders.

    “A lot of young people are asking questions, seeking answers to their questions, wish that they have an experienced person who will hold them by the hands and show them the way to achieve success.

    “There are a few people that are readily available to do this; a lot of them are making decisions everyday on the basis of their limited exposure.

    “If Nigeria must make progress, if we must consciously build the next generation of leaders then, we must expose these young people to experienced leaders that have gone ahead for a conscious transfer of knowledge and experiences,’’ he said.

    Some of the youths who spoke at the meeting called for continuous mentorship from leaders, access to finance and low interest rates to assist them in businesses.

    GOTNI is a non-profit youth leadership capital development organisation with a passion to nurture various categories of young people under 40 years of age, into transformational leaders. (NAN)

  • World Cup: Don’t give up on Super Eagles, Ekweremadu urges Nigerians

    By Cecilia Ijuo

    Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has urged Nigerians not to give up on Super Eagles after their Saturday loss to Croatia in ongoing World Cup competition in Russia.

    Ekweremadu made the call in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr Uche Anichukwu, on Sunday in Abuja.

    The Eagles went down 0-2 in their first match in Group D, which also has Argentina and Iceland.

    The deputy president of the senate expressed optimism that the team would get better as the tournament progressed.

    “No doubt the team made costly mistakes and Nigeria is in a tight corner after the loss to Croatia.

    “However, I am sure that the players and coaching crew have picked some lessons.

    “The technical crew might have to rethink the team’s formation.

    “Maybe, also, we stand to gain more from the players in their natural wings.

    “I am an optimist. It is not over yet for the Super Eagles in Russia, especially given their traditional resilient spirit.

    “I have no doubt also that they understand that they bear the expectations and hopes of over 180 million people on their shoulders.

    “But, we owe them total support and prayers,” he said.

    The Super Eagles will meet Iceland on Friday in their next group game.

    Iceland had played a one-all draw with Argentina in their opening encounter, leaving Nigeria at the bottom of the group at the moment. (NAN)

  • Agency, traditional rulers collaborate to stop open defecation in Katsina State

    Agency, traditional rulers collaborate to  stop open defecation in Katsina State

    By Zubairu Idris
    The Katsina State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (RUWASSA) says it  is collaborating with traditional institutions to stop  open defecation in the state.

    Alhaji Aminu Dayyabu, the Executive Director of the agency, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Katsina.

    Dayyabu said that decision was aimed at the state to achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status and improved sanitation, by 2025, under the Sanitation Hygiene and Water in Nigeria (SHWAN) project supported by the UNICEF.

    The executive director noted that the programme would also  assist to reduce water and sanitation related diseases particularly in rural areas of the state.

    He said that agency has already held meeting with 44 District Heads under Katsina Emirate and 13, in Daura Emirate Councils,  respectively, on modalities to achieve the set objective.

    Dayyabu said the traditional leaders agreed to prosecute any household who failed to construct a latrine for use of the family within a given time frame.

    The executive director added that local government councils on the other hand  would provide land to enable  entrepreneurs construct latrines around market areas and other public places in the state.

    He further said that UNICEF would provide water and sanitation facilities to enhance hygiene in such places through the agency.

    ‘’People will pay little amount of money after using the latrine which will be used for its regular maintenance,’’ he said.

    He also revealed that RUWASSA has so far linked about 1,000 households in the state with Micro Finance Institutions (MFI) who provided the households with loans to construct latrines.

    According to him, a minimum of N40,000 loan was given to each beneficiary to construct an improved latrine under the Sanitation Marketing programme.

    Dayyabu said that the latrines were constructed through Toilet Business Owners who linked the households with experts in the construction of improved latrines.

    He said that the agency would continue to join hands with UNICEF to enhance water supply and sanitation in the state.

    ‘’The state government is determined to continue supporting us to join hands with UNICEF to improve rural water supply and sanitation.

    ‘’It is in view of that now we have 26 local governments participating in SHAWN project, that make Katsina as the state with the highest number of participating local governments in the country,’’ he said.(NAN)
    ZI/YAZ

  • Cassava exploitation can accelerate Africa’s economic transformation – NIRSAL

    By Ginika Okoye

    The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) says exploiting the potential in cassava can accelerate Africa’s economic transformation.

    A statement by the management of NIRSAL in Abuja on Sunday, said Mr Aliyu Abdulhameed, the Managing Director of the organisation, stated this at the 4th International Cassava Conference held in Cotonou, Republic of Benin.

    Adulhameed said that although cassava was a main source of nutrition for over one billion people across the globe.

    He added that the value chain had not reached its full potential as a tool for the transformation of African economies through industrialisation.

    The managing director said that poor access to finance was a major factor inhibiting cassava exploitation in Africa.

    He noted that cassava value chain required financial services that would support larger agricultural investments to improve access to quality inputs and mechanisation services for smallholder farmers.

    According to him, cassava production remains low in Africa because the majority of primary producers are smallholder farmers who lack access to financial services, quality inputs, mechanisation, and knowledge of best agronomic practices.

    Adulhameed maintained that in spite of the comparative advantage of Africa in cassava production, most countries still relied largely on imports to meet industrial requirements for starch, high-quality cassava flour, ethanol and glucose production.

    He quoted the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as saying that Africa produces over 54 per cent of the world’s cassava, with Nigeria taking the global lead.

    The managing director said that Nigeria produced about 54.8 million tonnes of cassava in 2014 with an average yield of 7.7 tonnes per hectare.

    This, he said, was low compared to the 23.4 tonnes and 22.2 tonnes yield per hectare produced in Indonesia and Thailand respectively.

    “Cassava is a major source of carbohydrate for over half a billion people and provides a livelihood for millions of farmers, processors and traders worldwide.

    “Low production hampers the development of industrial processing of cassava due to the competition between sustenance production, industry and the peculiarities in its cultivation.

    “Most critical of this is the crop’s short shelf-life, once harvested, cassava requires structured logistics and even modular post-harvest processing technology to support the shift towards industrial markets,’’

    Adulhameed, however, stressed the need to facilitate the flow of affordable finance and investment to agriculture and agri-business in African countries in order to mitigate low-quality inputs, poor production practices and outdated technologies.

    The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NIRSAL is designed to engender the flow of affordable financing to all players in agricultural value chains.

    It reduces the risks of financing institutions while granting agricultural loans by building the capacities of both banks and value chain actors on good practices in agricultural financing, loans utilisation and repayment. (NAN)

    GINI/GOM/OPI
    ==============
    Edited by Gregory Mmaduakolam and Olisa Ifeajika

  • Anglican Church lauds Buhari over financial autonomy to state Legislature, Judiciary

    Anglican Church lauds Buhari for granting financial autonomy to state Legislature, Judiciary
    By Stanley Nwanosike
    he Anglican Diocese of Udi in Enugu State has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the Financial Autonomy Bill for State Houses of Assembly and Judiciary into law.
    The diocese stated this in a communiqué released on Sunday after the first session of its fourth Synod, held from June 7 to 10 at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Nachi, Udi Local Government Area.
    According to the communiqué signed by Rt. Rev Chijioke Aneke, Bishop of Udi Diocese, the Synod however urged the Federal Government to replicate same feat for local government councils in the country.
    The church also acknowledged that it was good to confer a posthumous award of GCFR on Chief MKO Abiola, but admonished that all good things would be better if properly done and within the confines and provisions of the law.
    It expressed the feeling of the diocese that the National Council of States and the National Assembly should have been consulted before the proclamation.
    The statement also called for payment of outstanding pensions and gratuity at all levels of government and resolve industrial disputes in the country.
    It enjoined all Christians to engage in fervent prayers to avert or minimise these unpleasant incidences.
    The church further enjoined all residents of the Diocese to acquire their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and use it appropriately during election.
    It also flayed the continued involvement of Christians in fetish activities, masquerading and consulting mediums despite teachings and Bible studies in various churches under the diocese.
    The synod’s theme was ‘Behold I Come Quickly’, drawn from the Biblical book of Revelation Chapter 22 verses 7 and 12. (NAN)
    KSN/MST
    Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

  • 6 power stations shut down as electricity supply drops in FCT, states

    By Kingsley Okoye

    The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has shut down six thermal power generating stations to enable the Nigeria Gas Company (NGC) pipeline carry out repair work on a ruptured gas pipeline which has caused a drop in electricity supply in the country.

    General Manager, Public Affairs, TCN, Mrs Ndidi Mbah said in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, that the drop in electricity affected a total of 1,087.6Mega Watts of Power nationwide.

    TCN explained that the six thermal power generating stations were unable to generate electricity due to the gas pipeline and the and technical issues at the Shell gas wells.

    The company listed the affected power stations to include Ihovbor, Azura, Omotosho gas, Geregu gas, Olorunsogo gas, Sapele and the Egbin power stations.

    TCN said the six power generating thermal stations had managed to generate 60MW only on each of its units, losing a total of 211MW.

    The company also said Afam VI power station was shut down so that Shell oil company could resolve its gas well issues to enable it commence gas supply to Afam VI power station.

    “With a total loss of 1,087.6MW into the grid, the transmission system has become quite fragile and TCN is working hard to avert a collapse of the system, by engaging in load-shedding.

    “Load-shedding, is to ensure that available generation is commensurate with what is allocated to DisCos nationwide, to create a balance and avert grid instability,” Mbah was quoted as saying in the statement.

    She said the problem which necessitated the company to adopt a load shedding strategy to maintain stability of the grid, affected the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other states of the federation.

    Fashola at the Afam Power Plant in Rivers State
    Fashola at the Afam Power Plant in Rivers State: SERAP wants him to account for the privatisation of power in the country

    According to TCN, the gas pipeline rupture and technical issues at the Shell gas wells occurred on June 15 and June 16 respectively.

    The TCN spokesperson also said NGC was  making efforts to ensure that the gas pipeline issues are resolved to restore normal gas supply to affected power generating stations, to enable them generate into the grid.

    The company also said that Shell had in the morning hours of June 17 resolved its gas well issue and gas supply partially restored to Afam VI power station.

    TCN also noted that there was no collapse of the grid as was reported in some quarters.

    The company appealed for understanding, adding that TCN engineers were working hard to maintain stability of the grid, pending completion of repairs of gas pipeline by NGC and restoration of full gas supply to affected generating stations.

    Meanwhile, many parts of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had been out of supply in the past two days.

    In a telephone interview, AEDC’s Head of Corporate Communication, Mr Fadipe Oyebode, attributed the non supply and load shedding in some areas to the limited allocation from the national grid to AEDC.

    Oyebode said AEDC was only allocated 194.58MW from the grid on June 16, out of its total 11 per cent allocation hence its inability to fully supply to its customers.

    He, however said that the situation has improved as AEDC’s allocation for June 17, stood at 330.44MW.